Mission StatementStrategic planning is to assist in eliminating lead-poisoning in Mahoning County by 2010.

What We DoThe primary objective of the Mahoning County Lead-Based Paint Hazard Control Program is to reduce and/or eliminate lead hazards in low-to-very-low income housing in a total of 11 high-risk ZIP codes. The target areas have very high socioeconomic and environmental risk factors that demonstrate the prevalence of lead exposure. Those factors include age of housing, high poverty and crime, low proficiency scores, and concentrated ethnicity. The targeted areas have documented evidence that lead poisoning is an epidemic in Mahoning County.

GoalThe goal of the Lead Hazard Control Program is to make housing units lead safe using a combination of interim controls and lead abatement techniques and to reduce environmental health issues in these housing. The units must be occupied by families with children under the age of six for lead, and under 17 years of age for healthy homes. Other goals are to conduct the recruitment and training of minority and low-income contractors and workers, and continue lead and asthma screenings throughout Mahoning County. We partner with local housing organizations such as Youngstown Community Development Agency, CHOICE, MYCAP Weatherization, Catholic Charities, CHIP, etc. We also partner with the local hospitals, St. Elizabeth and Forum Health to coordinate screening children and training/educating parents regarding lead and healthy homes issues. Grants are available to owner-occupants and matching funds and loans are available to landlords for lead hazard control and healthy homes work.

Revenue SourcesThe Department is funded 100% from grants with matching funds from working partners.